Rutabaga and Parsnips and Carrots, Oh My!

Until recently, I don't think I have ever had a rutabaga or a parsnip. I am sure I could scarcely even describe one. If I had ever had one, it would have been in disguise, snuck into a vegetable soup or something. I am sure I wouldn't have known.

Parsnips and rutabaga are both root vegetables, like carrots and turnips. In fact, rutabaga are thought to possibly be the result of a cross of a turnip and a wild cabbage. Rutabaga have a reputation for being a poor man's vegetable and something to be avoided. I found that stamp to be wholly unwarranted. Rutabaga appear somewhat like turnips, but larger, and with different coloring. Parsnips look very carrot-like. They are larger than carrots, however, and have a lovely creamy color.

I peeled my first-ever parsnips and rutabaga just as I would a carrot or a potato, and chopped them into medium-sized pieces, perhaps 2 inches square. I tossed them onto a baking sheet with some chopped carrots, and they made a lovely mix of colors, with the pale cream of the parsnips, the beige of the rutabaga, and the orange of the carrots. I drizzled olive oil over the whole thing, and sprinkled fresh rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper over the top. Into the oven at 400 degrees.

I found out very quickly that the cookie sheet didn't work. The cooking vegetables produced a bit of juice, which dripped off the cookie sheet and caused a burning smell and even a tiny amount of smoke. I switched the vegetables over to a glass lasagna dish, and that seemed to work much better. I left the veggies in for a little over an hour, and then it was time to sample my first rutabaga and parsnips.

Everything was delicious, but I unfortunately cooked them a touch too long. I'll know better next time. The rutabaga had a taste that was somewhat reminiscent of sweet potatoes, though nuttier. The parsnips definitely tasted like what they are, a cousin of the carrot, but sweeter. All in all it was a tasty new experience. The variety of colors of the three root veggies paled a bit with the cooking, especially the rutabaga, which became lighter in color. It's my understanding that you can set the colors of the veggies by dunking them in hot and then cold water, and that may be something that works for the rutabaga. Even with the diluted colors, however, it was still a very nice, colorful presentation. Something new for a simple and earthy side dish.

I have read that rutabaga are good when they are mashed, like potatoes. I will try that someday. In the meantime, I am calling my roasted-root-vegetable adventure a success.